Canada Is Getting Weed Edibles After All

But not until a year after legalization.

Canada is going to allow weed edibles a year after cannabis is legalized next July.

When the federal government first introduced the Cannabis Act, it said edibles will initially remain banned, to be regulated at a later date. But the Liberals changed their mind on that, following a vote by the Standing Committee on Health yesterday.

As reported by Lift News, the vote amended Bill C-45 aka the Cannabis Act to include "edibles containing cannabis" and "cannabis concentrates"—but the amendment won't come into effect until a year after legalization takes place.

Canada's black market for edibles carries everything from cookies, brownies, and gummies, to coffee, tea, sodas—even breakfast spreads. There are chefs who make gourmet, four-course meals infused with weed. Concentrates include shatter and other potent extracts.

In a written submission, Hydropothecary, a Quebec-based licensed producer, told the committee that not regulating edibles is leaving the door wide open for an already thriving black market.

"The government will force legal cannabis producers not to sell in these in these edible market spaces, that will likely then be filled by black market operations," the submission said, noting that dosage and food safety are issues that could be addressed by regulation. The LP also pointed out that places like Colorado and Washington State already have well-established regulatory frameworks for weed edibles that Canada can look to for advice.

Edibles proponents have also said ingesting cannabis doesn't carry the same health risks that come from smoking it.

Liberal MP John Oliver told iPolitics that the 12-month grace period would give the government ample time to figure out the logistics of regulating edibles.